The decade-long fight between Fort Bend County and the The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company may soon be over, as both parties are coming closer to reaching an agreement through a mediator.
“There is a considerable amount of progress with the negotiations,” said Precinct 1 Commissioner Richard Morrison. “Everyone is negotiating in good faith. I am hopeful we are nearing the end, but you never know with these things, sometimes they fall apart at the last level.”
Morrison would not discuss any of the negotiations that are currently on the table, but said he is hoping to see an end to the battle in the next couple of months.
The problem began more than 10 years ago, when the county built the entrance to the Royal Lakes subdivision near Booth. The entrance crossed railroad tracks belonging to The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, who said the crossing was costing the company millions of dollars and filed a lawsuit to shut it down.
“I told them they could shut it down over my dead body, but we have moved past that,” said Morrison. “I am hopeful that sometime in the near future we can reach a conclusion. I would say neither one of us is the hare in this race, we are both tortoises.”
“I told them they could shut it down over my dead body, but we have moved past that,” said Morrison. “I am hopeful that sometime in the near future we can reach a conclusion. I would say neither one of us is the hare in this race, we are both tortoises.”
It is good to see one elected official upholding his oath to serve the people of the county and protect its citizens from these types of abuses. It would be nice to see others living up to their oaths to uphold (and not violate) the laws of the state and constitution. Go Richard, Jeff, etc…